


The Joke's On Us

by agreytracksuit



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/M, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 07:44:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18406211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agreytracksuit/pseuds/agreytracksuit
Summary: When Raven and Murphy become maid of honour and best man for Bellamy and Clarke's wedding, their friends won't stop joking that it means they're bound to sleep together.





	The Joke's On Us

                “Okay everyone, gather round!” Clarke called out over the top of the loud chattering from everyone at the party. She turned the music off to signal to everyone to stop talking and stood in the middle of the lounge room so she could be seen. “Take a seat, we have an announcement.”

                Shaw sat himself in one of the large lounge chairs and Raven plopped herself gently on his lap. Murphy pulled up a bar stool from the kitchen and Emori draped herself over him possessively. Raven couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

                “Can everyone see us?” Bellamy asked, one hand casually placed on Clarke’s waist and the other holding a glass of bubbly. Raven was certain she knew what was coming. Everyone settled down and looked at the couple expectantly.

                “Thank you all so much for coming tonight,” Clarke began. “We’re so glad to have all of our closest friends here with us for our big announcement.”

“So without further ado…” Bellamy continued. The couple looked at each other adoringly.

“… we’re getting married!” they yelled together.

                “Took you long enough!” Octavia said as everyone else cheered and drank. Monty and Harper got up from their place on the couch to give the couple a congratulatory embrace.

                “Murphy, you’ll be my best man?” Bellamy asked. Murphy smiled.

                “Of course man,” he replied, shaking Bellamy’s hand and pulling him into a hug.

                “And Raven, will you be my maid of honour?” Clarke asked excitedly.

                “Yes, of course I will!” Raven said, beaming. She stood up and gave Clarke a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you two.”

                “You know what that means!” Jasper laughed. Clarke and Raven looked at him with confusion.

                “No, what does it mean?” Raven wondered.

                “Come on,” Jasper replied knowingly. “Everyone knows the best man and maid of honour always sleep together on the wedding night.”

                Raven instinctively looked up at Emori, who was death staring her from across the room. She burst out laughing, probably a little too over the top for how funny she actually thought it was.

                “That’s ridiculous!” she snickered. “Me and Murphy? That’s… I can’t even… You think we would sleep together? We’re _friends._ We’re both happily in relationships. The fact that you would even suggest…”

                “Okay, I’m convinced,” Jasper joked. “No need to be so defensive, I was just kidding.”

                “You might have gone a little overboard with brushing that one off,” Clarke whispered in Raven’s ear. Raven nodded with embarrassment.

                “Yeah, you think?” she agreed. She glanced over at Murphy who looked… Disappointed? No, that was just her imagination. His face just looked like that. She walked over to Shaw who was now talking to Monty and Harper and put her arms around his waist, nuzzling his shoulder.

                The thought of sleeping with Murphy was absurd. How could Jasper even bring it up? She was obviously already with the person she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with.

* * *

 

                It was a few weeks after Clarke and Bellamy’s announcement party, and Clarke had invited her bridesmaids over for a girls’ night in. They were all lazing around the lounge room with glasses of wine in their hands and Britney Spears playing in the background.

                “How did you convince Bellamy to get out of the house for the night?” Harper asked, gulping the last of her wine and getting up to pour another glass.

                “Me too please,” Octavia said, holding her empty glass up for Harper to take.

                “Actually, I didn’t even have to ask him to. I just mentioned I wanted to have a girls’ night and he offered to get out of my hair,” Clarke replied with a blissful smile.

                “That’s so sweet. You two are so in love,” Harper noted happily. She finished pouring the two glasses of wine and sat back with the others. “I remember when Monty and I got married he barely wanted to leave my side. I wasn’t complaining though.”

                “Niylah and I have decided we don’t need to get married,” Octavia told them. “We already know we’ve made a commitment to each other and we don’t need the contract to prove it. Plus, it means we can stay in the honeymoon phase forever,” she added with a grin.

                “Blegh, enough of the lovey-dovey talk,” Raven said in disgust as she drank her wine from the bottle.

                “Oh come on, like you and Shaw aren’t head-over-heels for each other,” Clarke reminded her with a grin.

                “Look, we are getting more serious but I don’t think we’re quite there yet,” Raven explained.

                “You’re not holding out for Murphy, are you?” Octavia joked. Clarke and Harper couldn’t help bursting out laughing but Raven gave her an icy glare.

                “Not you, too!” Raven groaned, putting her face in her hands in embarrassment.

                “Relax Raven, we’re only joking and so was Jasper,” Harper told her sympathetically. “None of us actually think you and Murphy are actually going to sleep together.”

                “God, can you imagine how pissed Emori would be?” Octavia added with a short laugh. “It’d be almost worth it just to see her reaction.”

                “That’s so mean!” Harper scolded. Octavia just shrugged. “Anyway Raven, of course we know that you would never cheat on Shaw. Not after what Finn put you through.”

                “Ugh, please don’t bring him up,” Clarke said with a shudder, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the coffee table.

                “Who’d have thought that the four of us would be like old married ladies before we’ve even turned thirty?” Octavia pondered.

                “I never saw it coming,” Clarke agreed. “Anyway, should we get this movie going?”

* * *

                “Please do this for me, Raven!” Clarke begged, pouting her lips desperately. “We’re running out of time to get the cake organised and we can’t reschedule this trip again.”

                “The wedding is still six months away, surely you can do it next weekend?” Raven groaned.

                “Come on Raven, this is part of your maid of honour duties,” Clarke urged. “You’re the only one I trust enough to choose something that I like and still be edible for everyone else.”

                Raven rolled her eyes. “Fine, but if Murphy misbehaves while we’re there, you’re not getting a cake,” she finally agreed. “Have fun on your trip. Aurora is going to be thrilled to see you.”

                It’s not like Raven didn’t want to go cake tasting for Clarke. She knew that was part of the deal. It’s that Bellamy had made sure Murphy was going to be there too, and Raven had been trying her best to avoid him until after the wedding.

                “Raven!” Murphy called out when she arrived at the bakery. She waved hello and walked over to the table he had already claimed. “Long time no see, you’ve been avoiding me like the plague.”

                “Actually, the plague would be a welcome distraction,” she replied with a sly smile, taking the seat across from him. Murphy smirked.

                “Come on, what’s really going on?” Murphy asked. The waiter came over with an enormous smile, holding a clipboard.

                “Good afternoon!” he announced. “Welcome to Luxury Cakes, Bellamy and Clarke, my name is Antony and I will be helping you choose your dream cake today!”

                “Oh, we’re not the bride and groom,” Raven told him hastily. “We’re the maid of honour and best man.”

                “Well, you know what they say!” Antony said with a grin. “Perhaps soon you _will_ be the bride and groom. I’ll start by bringing over some samples so we can decide on a flavour. In the meantime, please enjoy our complimentary champagne.” He left still grinning, as if this job were the greatest thing to happen to him.

                “You want to know what’s really going on?” Raven said as soon as Antony was out of earshot. “People keep making that joke about us.”

                “What, that because we’re best man and maid of honour it means we’re going to get together?” Murphy asked. Raven nodded, rolling her eyes and taking a sip of champagne. “It’s just a harmless joke. We know nothing’s going to happen.”

                He said it so casually, like it was so obvious, and it was almost hurtful that he could be so sure nothing was ever going to happen.

                “Wow Murphy, are you really that repulsed by me? Tell me how you really feel,” Raven joked, although perhaps she meant it more than she realised. Murphy laughed.

                “I’m not going to deny there’s definitely some chemistry between us,” he admitted, a smile playing on his lips. “But if anything was going to happen between us, it would’ve already happened.” He added a wink for good measure, and Raven rolled her eyes at him as if she weren’t enjoying herself.

                “Besides, I think Emori hates me enough already,” Raven added. “Can you imagine if we let the rumour mill run rampant with this?”

                “She doesn’t hate you,” Murphy argued. “She’s just jealous because she thinks she should’ve been a bridesmaid.”

                “And if Bellamy had a fourth friend, I’m sure she would have been,” Raven joked. Antony came back over holding three trays of cakes for them to taste.

                “What have I walked in on here?” he asked coyly, putting the plates on the table. “Is the magic happening already?”

                “Yes, you were right,” Raven told him dramatically. “We’ve just gotten engaged and we’ll be booking in for our own cake tasting very soon.” She glanced at Murphy who was trying to contain his laughter. Antony was taken aback.

                “Well! I look forward to seeing you again,” he said. “Please enjoy our lemon, raspberry and chocolate selection.”

                “So much for not letting the rumour mill run rampant,” Murphy teased as Antony walked away. Raven shrugged.

                “Sometimes you’ve got to give the public what they want,” she told him. “So, do you want to go get drunk after this or what?”

                “God, yes,” Murphy said enthusiastically.

* * *

                The two of them burst into a bar that wasn’t far from the bakery where they’d been tasting cakes. It was 5pm, so they considered it was well and truly happy hour, and they were already slightly tipsy from the free champagne at the cake tasting.

                “Two beers please,” Raven told the bartender when he approached them. “Whatever’s cheapest that can still get us drunk.”

                “You don’t think we need something stronger than that?” Murphy asked, taking a seat at the bar. Raven jumped onto the stool next to him and took her jacket off.

                “And two shots of tequila,” she added, handing her card to the bartender. He nodded and started pouring their drinks.

                “That’s more like it,” Murphy said with a smirk. His signature facial expression.

                “You smirk a lot, you know that?” Raven pointed out. “Have you ever tried not smirking so much?”

                “It’s a reflex,” he told her defensively. “There’s a lot to smirk about.”

                She laughed, shaking her head. The bartender put their drinks in front of them and they both skulled their shots before starting on their beers.

                “Another two of those please?” Murphy called the bartender. He turned to Raven. “Should we get a booth?”

                She nodded in agreement while simultaneously trying to take a gulp of beer, causing her to spill it all down the front of her shirt. They both burst out laughing.

                “I think I have a drinking problem,” she commented. They got off their bar stools and headed to a booth in the corner, dumping their things on the table and slumping down next to each other in the middle rather than sitting across the table from one another. The bartender brought them two more shots and they downed them in a second.

                “Another round!” Murphy called. He took another sip from his beer. “Should we get some food?”

                “We just ate like a million cakes,” Raven reminded him. “But yes, I’m thinking wings and fries.”

                “You read my mind,” Murphy said with a wink. They called the bartender over and ordered two more drinks and their food.

                “This has been a fun day,” Raven said with a satisfied sigh.

                “You sound surprised,” Murphy told her disappointedly. “We’re friends, why wouldn’t we have a fun day together?”

                “I didn’t mean it like that.” Raven rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “I just meant that with people continually teasing me about sleeping with you at the wedding I thought it might be awkward.”

                “I don’t think we could make things awkward,” Murphy assured her. “We’ve been through too much to start that shit now.”

                Raven smiled at him and took another sip of beer. “Do you think you and Emori will get married?” she wondered. Murphy seemed surprised by the question.

                “It’s not something I’ve really thought about to be honest,” he said, furrowing his brow. He looked deep into his glass as though it were suddenly the most interesting thing in the room. Raven eyed him curiously.

                “You’ve been together for two years and the thought of marriage hasn’t crossed your mind?” she pressed. He shrugged, taking another gulp to avoid responding.

                “What about you and Shaw?” he asked, desperate to change the subject. Raven glanced down with a wry smile.

                “We’re not talking about me and Shaw,” she responded. She swirled her beer around in the glass and finished the last of it. The bartender brought over two more beers and another two shots.

                “I know we’re not talking about you and Shaw but I’m still asking what’s happening with you and Shaw?” Murphy continued. He took the shot and washed it down with another sip of beer. Raven followed suit, postponing her answer.

                “Things are going good,” she finally answered. Murphy looked at her expectantly.

                “That’s it?” he demanded. “They’re just “going good”?”

                Raven shrugged and looked him in the eyes. “What else do you want me to say?” She bit her lip. “You want me to tell you that we’re planning on getting married and having lots of children together?”

                Murphy gulped. There was the look again – the look of disappointment Raven had thought she’d seen at the party- but as soon as she thought she saw it, it was gone again.

                “If that’s what you want to tell me,” he said quietly. He looked into his glass again. Raven hadn’t seen him like this before.

                “I’m not sure if that’s what I want,” she admitted, fiddling with her fingernails and looking at them intently. She sighed. “He does love me, though.”

                Murphy looked back up at her. “At the announcement party…” he began. Raven stopped fidgeting and caught his eye. “Did you really think it was so insane that something could happen between us?”

                “No,” she whispered, but her voice was still full of certainty. “Murphy… do you want to kiss me?”

                He nodded and put his hand gently on her cheek. He moved in and they both gently closed their eyes, their lips barely an inch apart.

                “Heh-hem,” a deep voice cleared its throat. Their eyes fluttered open and saw Bellamy standing in front of their booth, arms folded.

                “There’s my ride,” Murphy said apologetically. He got up from the booth and led the way outside. Bellamy gave Raven a disappointed glance before following him to the car. Raven stayed in the booth, arms folded and thinking about whether or not she had almost made a mistake.

* * *

                “Ugh, I hate dancing so much,” Octavia groaned, changing from her boots to her bridesmaids’ shoes. This was only their second dance rehearsal for the wedding and she had done nothing but complain about it.

                No one had mentioned the close encounter she and Murphy had had the other week, although she was certain Bellamy would have told Clarke about it. She can only imagine how that conversation would have gone down.

                She was grateful they’d all decided to keep their mouths shut. In the light of the morning Raven had decided that kissing Murphy definitely would have been a huge mistake. Shaw was so sweet and always telling Raven how much he loved her. She doubted Murphy would be able to tell her how he really felt, even if he did ever break up with Emori.

                “Are you guys ready to get started?” Clarke asked, only just joining the conversation.

                “Almost done, can’t wait!” Octavia said with a fake smile, doing up the buckle on her left shoe. Clarke grinned and went back to Bellamy, giving him an affectionate kiss.

                “Not long now and you’ll never have to do it again,” Raven reminded Octavia. “At least your partner’s actually here. Where the hell is Murphy?”

                Octavia shrugged and made her way to Jasper who was concentrating hard on practising by himself. Harper and Monty were already dancing happily around the room. Raven sighed and found herself a place in the studio.

                “Okay, are we all ready?” the instructor asked. Murphy chose this moment to burst into the room, looking a little less than impressed that he had to be there.

                “Sorry I’m late,” he muttered, throwing his jacket on the barre and joining Raven, grabbing her a little too roughly around the waist. It sent excited chills up her spine and she silently scolded herself for feeling anything for him at all.

                “Let’s pick up from where we last left off,” the instructor continued, with an icy glare at Murphy. “So, it’s one, two, three and spin…”

                “Where the hell have you been?” Raven hissed quietly in Murphy’s ear as they went through the motions.

                “Nowhere, it doesn’t matter,” Murphy snapped back, clearly not wanting to talk. He spun her around and they went back to the first movement.

                “Okay grumpy pants,” Raven mocked. “Sorry for caring about my friend’s wellbeing.”

                “Stop talking up the back there!” the instructor called out. Raven gave her an apologetic smile.

                “Look, I’m not mad at you, okay?” Murphy assured her, though his voice was still gruff. “I’m just not in the mood to be here right now. I’ve got other shit to do.”

                “This doesn’t have anything to do with Emori does it?” Raven joked with a snort of laughter. Murphy refused to catch her eye after that comment. “Oh my god, what happened?”

                “She broke up with me, okay?” Murphy whispered, trying to make sure none of the others heard. Raven’s heart jumped, though she felt terrible for being happy at his misery.

                “Okay, we’re going to put it with the music now,” the instructor announced. “Places everybody!”

                “Shit, I’m sorry Murphy,” Raven said sincerely. They waited for the music to start and began the movements again. “Did she say why?”

                Murphy shook his head and refused to make eye contact. Raven scoffed. She wondered if Emori had somehow found out that they almost kiss, but reminded herself if even Octavia didn’t know, there’s no way Emori could.

                “Murphy, look at me,” she demanded. He reluctantly did as she said. “Why did Emori break up with you?”

                Murphy sighed. “She didn’t trust me around you,” he admitted, not very happily.

                “ _What?_ ” Raven cried out, far too loudly, although she shouldn’t have been as shocked as she was.

                “Shh!” the instructor snapped.

                “God, I knew this would happen,” Raven whispered angrily. Murphy spun her around in time with the music. “I blame Jasper for this.”

                “Don’t,” Murphy told her in exasperation. “Are we really going to pretend that nothing happened between us?”

                “Nothing did happen between us,” Raven reminded him. “Also, I don’t know what you’re talking about. You didn’t tell her, did you?”

                “Of course not, I’m not an idiot,” Murphy said. “It was my fault, anyway.”

                “Don’t be ridiculous. If Jasper hadn’t said anything at the party all those months ago…” she argued, shaking her head in disappointment.

                “That’s not… The jokes had nothing to do with it,” Murphy snapped, realising she was going to continue to play dumb. He held her still and looked into her eyes, making sure she was listening to him. “Just trust me, Raven. It was all my fault.” He dropped her hand and headed towards the door.

                “Excuse me, where do you think you’re going?” the instructor demanded.

                “I think Raven and I have perfected your little dance,” Murphy told her. “I’m going to get drunk.” With that he left, slamming the door behind him.

                Raven was stunned. What on earth was that even supposed to mean? What else could have happened between him and Emori that they would break up so suddenly? What had he told her? Her mind was reeling from the entire exchange. She excused herself from the lesson and headed home to clear her head.

* * *

                “I’m getting married, bitches!” Clarke yelled over the club music, bring a tray of shots to the table of women who were there to support her. They all cheered excitedly for her as they grabbed a shot each and downed it. She was donned in a short white dress, a pink sash that read “Bride” and a mini veil headband that her friends had bought from the $2 store.

                “Only two weeks to go!” Harper said excitedly. “You are going to have the best time.”

                “But first we have to have an amazing time tonight!” Octavia shouted, already quite drunk from the shots they’d done earlier.

                “Great job scoring the VIP room, Raven,” Niylah mentioned, impressed. Her arms were wrapped around Octavia as the snuggled up in one of the lounge chairs together.

                “Anything for my best girl!” Raven said with a wink at Clarke. Clarke winked back, seductively drinking her cocktail from a straw shaped like a penis.

                “You guys,” Clarke started, putting her drink on the table and grabbing Raven and Octavia by the hand. “I love you all so much, and I’m so glad you’re all sharing this moment with me.” Tears started to form in her eyes as she got all sentimental. Emori handed her a napkin to blow her nose on.

                “Oh Clarke, there’s no need to cry,” Harper told her sympathetically. “Someone get her another drink!”

                “I’ll go,” Raven said. “I need to pee anyway.” She grabbed her bag and headed to the toilets on the other side of the club.

                She was just stepping out of the stall and about to wash her hands when she was accosted by Emori.

                “Jesus Christ, you scared the crap out of me,” Raven said with a jump. “Did you follow me here?”

                “I need to talk to you,” Emori stated. Raven stepped up to one of the basins and washed her hands, eyeing Emori dubiously.

                “What’s this about?” she asked cautiously.

                “I just need you to know that I don’t hate you,” Emori said, leaning against the wall near the paper towel dispenser.

                “Okay…” Raven replied, still unsure about the interaction.

                “I know what you must think of me,” Emori continued. “I don’t know what John told you about our break up but I didn’t do it because I hate you or I don’t trust you.”

                “Good, because I would never cheat on Shaw,” Raven said, as if she hadn’t been moments from kissing Murphy not too long ago. Emori nodded and started fidgeting with her fingers.

                “I know. I wish I could’ve said the same of him.” She bit her lip, trying to hold back tears. “I really hope we can still be friends, Raven.”

                “Oh, Emori, of course we can,” Raven assured her, pulling her into a hug as Emori’s tears started flowing. She couldn’t help feeling guilty about what had almost happened, even though she was sure it had nothing to do with their break up. “To be fair, I never hated you either. I just thought you had it in for me.”

                Emori laughed through her tears and pulled out of the hug, wiping her eyes with her hands. “Well, that’s all I wanted to say to you. Can we go enjoy the party now?”

                Raven nodded and gave Emori a sympathetic smile. “Yeah, of course. Oh! I have to get Clarke a drink first.”

* * *

                It was finally the big day: Clarke and Bellamy would be getting married in just a few hours. The girls were getting their hair done at the salon and gossiping away.

                “So, it’s finally the big day! Are you nervous?” Harper asked. Raven looked expectantly at Clarke for her answer, only to realise Harper had directed it at her. She gave her a light smack.

                “Very funny guys,” Raven said sarcastically. She still hadn’t told them about their close encounter, and she decided it was best not to. Better to act like nothing had ever happened than to make a big deal over nothing.

                “Come on, it’s the last time we’ll get to joke about you and Murphy sleeping together,” Octavia reminded her. “Let us have this.”

                “Besides, it’s taking my mind off things,” Clarke added. “Don’t get me wrong, I am so excited to be getting married, but I know there are so many things that could go wrong before I even go down the aisle.”

                “Don’t worry Clarke, that’s what I’m here for,” Raven assured her, giving her hand a squeeze. “I won’t let anything get in the way of your big day.”

                Clarke gave her a thankful smile and turned back to the mirror as the stylist completed the final touches.

                When their hair was done and they were about to walk out of the salon, Clarke pulled Raven back as the other girls walked to the car.

                “Hey, can we talk for a minute?” she said, her voice low. Raven eyed her curiously.

                “Okay…” she agreed.

                “Look, Bellamy told me about what happened between you and Murphy,” Clarke began.

                “Nothing happened between me and Murphy,” Raven replied quickly, as though she’d rehearsed this conversation. Clarke looked at her in exasperation and Raven rolled her eyes. “Fine, you were saying?”

                “I just want you to be careful,” Clarke continued. “I know the girls and I have been making these jokes for the past year but we don’t actually think you and Murphy should sleep together. Shaw is so perfect for you and I just… I don’t want you to mess it up, okay?”

                “Clarke, come on,” Raven said with a laugh. “You really think I would risk what I have with Shaw for a hot one-night stand with one of my closest friends?”

                Clarke smiled but it was clear she wasn’t convinced. “Okay. As long as you’re sure,” she replied. The got in the car with the others and headed off to Clarke’s parents house to relax before they had to finish getting ready.

* * *

 

                The ceremony was beautiful, being held in a small but luscious garden. Clarke and Bellamy stood beneath an ivy-covered arch as they said their vows, both of them tearing up with happiness. Raven could hear Harper crying softly behind her and couldn’t help but smile. She glanced at Murphy, who was already looking at her. He winked at her when they made eye contact and her heart skipped a beat. She beamed back at him.

It didn’t have to be awkward between the two of them. They were friends, and what had or hadn’t happened wasn’t going to change that. They could banter with each other just like old times and she wasn’t going to make it weird.

                Finally, the happy couple said their “I do’s” and kissed, and all of the guests applauded.

                “I guess we have do stand around and take a bunch of photos now,” Octavia groaned. “I just want to get out of these shoes as soon as possible.”

                “Come on Octavia,” Harper said, putting her arm around Octavia’s shoulders. “Why aren’t you more excited about your brother’s big day?”

                “Don’t worry, I get it,” Raven told her sympathetically. “My feet are already killing me and we still have to do the dance.”

                Octavia pouted and made a fake crying sound. The three of them made their way to the area where the photos were being taken and were soon joined by the groomsmen, newlyweds and their parents. The photographer lined them all up and positioned them, taking photo after photo. Raven’s mouth was getting sore from all the smiling.

                It took two hours to get all of the photos done, with the different positions and locations and various combinations of people, and everyone was relieved when they could finally go to the reception.

                All of the other guests were already milling around when they got there, and Raven was glad when they bride and groom had been announced and they at last got a moment to relax a bit. They’d been sipping champagne all day and she desperately needed a proper drink. She ordered two rum and cokes and was about to ask Murphy if he wanted some fresh air when she was interrupted.

                “Hey babe, is that for me?” Shaw asked, kissing her neck from behind and taking one of the drinks from her hand. Right, she’d almost forgotten about her loving boyfriend.

                “Yes, of course,” she lied, turning to face him and giving him a peck on the lips. She glanced over at Murphy who appeared to be… glowering? Not that she cared. She was in love with Shaw.

                “I’ve barely seen you all day but I have to say you look amazing in your bridesmaid’s dress,” Shaw told her, placing his empty hand on her waist.

                “Thanks babe,” she replied with a forced smile. What was wrong with her? This was the man she was supposed to be with and all she could think about was how she could escape this conversation so she could spend time with Murphy.

                “And now it’s time for the bride and groom’s first dance as husband and wife,” the MC announced, seeming to read her mind. That meant she and Murphy would have to join in soon. She had never been so grateful for an obligation.

                “Sorry babe, that’s my cue. I’ll talk to you later,” she said, swiftly kissing Shaw on the cheek and handing him her drink before striding over to Murphy while Bellamy and Clarke took to the dance floor.

                “May I have this dance?” Raven asked formally, offering her hand to Murphy. He took it with a bow and they joined Bellamy and Clarke in the dance they’d learned months earlier. One, two, three and spin. Raven tried not to think about how his hand was sitting on her waist. How it would make her feel if her were to move it ever so slightly downwards.

                “Are you having a nice time?” Murphy asked, almost awkwardly, as if he were thinking the same thing.

                “I’ve barely had time to think about it,” Raven admitted. “It’s been one thing after another today. Like the whole thing has been a blur.”

                “I know what you mean,” Murphy agreed. “I’ve kind of been looking forward to this part all day.”

                Raven’s heart fluttered and she couldn’t help but smile. “Wait, really?” she asked. Murphy blushed.

                “You know, so it could be over,” he added, clearing his throat and looking everywhere but at her.

                More people started to join in with the dancing until there was a proper crowd surrounding the bride and groom.

                “It seems like we’re off the hook now,” Raven told him as the song finished and a new one begun. They dropped their hands but didn’t move away from each other. “Do you want to get some fresh air with me?”

                Murphy nodded and they snuck out of the ballroom and outside, making sure they were away from the smoker’s area. It took a moment for Raven’s eyes to adjust to the dark but the lack of lighting meant they could see the stars.

                “It’s a nice night,” Murphy noted.

                “Yeah,” Raven agreed. It was a warm night but she had her arms folded in tightly as if she were cold. Murphy seemed to notice and he shrugged his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders. She shivered as his hands brushed her bare skin and she looked up at him, their faces inches apart.

                Almost without thinking, Raven leaned in, hesitating slightly as if asking for permission, before gently pressing her lips against his. To her surprise Murphy didn’t pull away, but leaned into her, kissing her softly and cupping her face in his hands. It wasn’t what she expected from him but she could feel herself melting into his embrace. It just felt so natural.

                Raven slowly pulled herself out of the kiss but didn’t move away. She looked up at him and he stared back into her eyes.

                “I just needed to know what it felt like,” she whispered. “I’ve been wondering, since we almost…” She trailed off and Murphy nodded.

                “I’ve been wondering for a hell of a lot longer than that,” he admitted.

                “Murphy, do you think I’m with the right person?” she asked. Murphy glanced down. She needed him to say no, that she should be with him, that she should leave Shaw. She knew Murphy had trouble voicing his feelings but if he couldn’t say it now, when it really mattered, would he ever be able to? He didn’t respond for a moment and Raven could feel her heart racing.

                “I think you should be with whoever you want to be with,” he finally replied. Raven’s heart sunk.

                “I knew you couldn’t say it,” she said sadly. She slipped his jacket off and handed it back to him with a small smile, trying to hide her disappointment. She kissed his cheek and headed back inside. Back to where her friends were celebrating the best night of their life, back to her safe, supportive boyfriend.


End file.
